EurObserv’ER Barometer: Still Three Points to Go to Meet the 2020 Target

6.3.2018 09:00 | Business Wire

Del

Key data for European Union (EU) in 2016

-- 17%

Renewable GFEC1 share in total EU generation in 2016
(16.7% in 2015)

-- 29.6%

Renewable electricity share in total EU generation in 2016 (28.8% in
2015)

-- 19.1%

Renewable heat share in total EU generation (18.7% in 2015)

-- 99.3 Mtoe

Renewable heat (and cooling) consumption in 2016 (95.3 Mtoe in 2015)

-- 951.4 TWh

Electricity production from renewables in the EU in 2016 (935.6 TWh
in 2015)

-- 1.42 mln.

Jobs in the European renewable energy sector

-- € 149 bn.

Turnover generated by renewable energy sources in EU-28 in 2016

-- 322 Mtoe

EU-28 substituted fossil fuels in 2016 (314 Mtoe in 2015)

-- € 83 bn.

Result avoided expenses in EU-28 through renewables in 2016 (€ 97
bn. In 2015)

Main findings

In 2016, the EU moved up a level towards achieving the main 2020 target
set in the Renewable Energies Directive. According to Eurostat, the
renewable energy share of EU final gross energy consumption was 17% in
2016, which is exactly twice its 2004 level (8.5%), the first year for
which data was registered. The EU is now only 3 points short of its 2020
target.

Shift in the renewable energy workforce

Early mover countries have only few employments from new investments,
but an important share from maintenance activities on the existing
installations and the manufacturing industry, which is providing
countries elsewhere, both in the EU as worldwide.

Offshore overtakes onshore wind investments

In 2015, wind investments, including both onshore and offshore wind,
totaled € 31 billion and grew to € 34 billion in 2016, which corresponds
to an increase by almost 10%. This increase in wind investments was
mainly driven by offshore, which even overtook onshore investments in
2016.

Webinar

To learn more about the Barometer’s outcomes, join the webinar
on the March 27, 11 a.m. CEST. To register, please click here.